Monthly Archives: January 2016

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From their bright-yellow blossoms right down to their roots, dandelions are incredibly nutritious. This recipe focuses on the root, which can be eaten fresh as a vegetable, or can be dried and roasted to make hot drinks that are delicious substitutes for tea and coffee.

I bake with vegetables, and I know I’m not alone. I assume that pumpkin pie and carrot cake have graced every table in the United States at one time or another, but I’m here to tell you that there is more to vegetable desserts than just a couple of carrots. There is a whole array of veggie-aisle treats worth exploring.

The ingredients may vary between veggies, noodles, tofu, and meat, but week in and week out, stir-fries make a regular appearance in my meal plan. It’s a quick and simple dinner that’s reliable and delicious.

While recipes are always handy, this is one of those cooking methods that’s more about the technique. So before you pull out your wok (because yes, you should be using a wok), make sure you’ve got these secrets for stir-fry success down pat.

A few weeks ago we showcased some dinners using shelf-stable dry pantry ingredients, but there’s the other (equally important) half of the pantry we try to keep well-stocked too. What’s in this pantry? The dairy, vegetables, and other fresh staples you always have kicking around in your refrigerator or freezer. Now it’s their turn to shine in these simple weeknight dinner recipes.

Okay, I’m totally excited … next week is the official launch of the first true product I’ve ever designed under my own name, especially for the Apartment Therapy and Kitchn audience. While I can’t say too much until next Thursday, February 4, you can all come get a sneak peek next Monday night here in NYC during the NY Now Show. I’d love to see you. All the info is below.

You don’t see tomato soup cake on dessert menus at Michelin-starred restaurants. It’s not a postmodern invention of the molecular gastronomy set. Unlike donuts or meatballs, it’s not going through some upscale comfort food revival. Yet for the past century, tomato soup cake has endured, remaining a stalwart presence through decades of food trends to become an American dessert icon. And if you haven’t tried it yet, you’re in for a revelation.

As a new mom, I worried constantly that my daughter was eating too much or not enough vegetables, having too many snacks or developing an unhealthy attitude toward snacks. All that fretting was exhausting. And it turns out there’s another really good reason for not obsessing about her meals: it actually made her a better eater.

Here’s what I learned along the way. Trust me — you, too, can go from neurotic to normal when it comes to your toddler’s diet.

What’s the worst-case scenario when that 3 p.m. post-lunch slump hits? Heading to the vending machine? Pulling out that stale candy bar? We get it. To avoid such dire situations, we’ve taken to keeping good-for-you snacks on hand. Any of these 12 snacks will quell your hunger pangs and keep you from ending up hangry, so the rest of your afternoon goes smoothly.

Making scrambled eggs in the wok means I have to throw out all the best advice about cooking scrambled eggs. Don’t use high heat, they say; pull them off the heat before they overcook, they say. But I say crank that heat all the way up and don’t pull out an extra bowl for whisking.

If the months of the year are guests at a dinner party, January is the friend who can’t stop talking about how great she feels now that she doesn’t do [insert most enjoyable things here] anymore. It’s admirable, but also kind of annoying. Of course you’d like to be your best self (her words, not yours), but do you have to give up so much in the process? Can’t the whole thing be a little more enjoyable?

Thankfully your down-to-earth buddy February is around to keep things real. When January makes you feel like a failure, February steps in to say it’s okay to take smaller steps towards your personal betterment, and it’s also okay to buy a little something to help you along the way. (He’s such a good guy to shop with!) With that in mind, here are five small things to buy for your kitchen next month to keep you moving positively and pleasantly through the new year.